Fancy dress, tandems and space hoppers
How can you unite 30-plus young adults from three different countries? Simple: if they’ve got a passion for Jesus, just give them a common goal to raise £3,950 each and throw in one over-organised lunatic and what’s the result? One fantastic countrywide fundraising event!
This year, the 2010/11 BMS Action Teamers have decided to organise a cross country relay which will see a hand-carved cross carried all the way from Italy, posted to the Isle of Wight, and then passed hand to hand throughout the United Kingdom all the way to the Scottish Isle of Harris. Throw in some sugar, some fancy dress and a lack of inhibitions and you’ve got yourself a fantastic relay!
Micah King, from Locks Heath near Southampton and a member of the India Delhi Action Team, explains, “Once the thrill of finding out that we’d been given the privilege to serve God overseas began to wane just enough so that we could think clearly, a conversation began online between all the Action Teamers about how we could collectively do something before training began.
“Fundraising was secondary; the main aim was to begin to take our first baby steps towards walking in faith (quite literally) and to do something which showed that taking a gap year isn’t necessarily about taking a holiday. We want to show that we’re not just looking forwards to six months in a foreign country; we want to demonstrate that our hearts are on fire to serve God.
“The idea to do a relay came completely out of the blue. It was also fraught with difficulties, the main one being that many of this year’s Action Teamers all live in large clusters around the south coast, the West Midlands and Edinburgh, so filling in those gaps was going to take a miracle. It did.
“This God-given idea turned into a God-given plan when it was successfully arranged that, over the months of July and August, a specially hand-carved cross would be passed from hand to hand by almost every single Action Teamer in unique and wacky ways. The enthusiasm has been unprecedented, and over the next two months some amazing stories are bound to unfold.
“For example: the Hampshire strong team of seven will each walk about two miles each, blindfolded in an act of blind faith while guided by the others, to traverse a distance of roughly 13 miles on their journey to Fleet.
“The Birmingham team plans to tandem bike through the city to take the cross to the IMC. In Nottingham, one Action Teamer plans to take her worship band to perform on the streets en route to Northampton while another young missionary plans to graffiti his car in Bible verses on his 90-mile long pilgrimage from Stevenage.
“That’s not to mention the space hoppers down the Thames embankment, a plucky voyage across the Solent and a lot of fancy dress! With every leg of the relay, a single journal is being passed along for everyone to record their journeys in. At the end of this fantastic relay, there will be a fantastic journal of experiences to enjoy which will stand as testament to the dedication of every single Action Teamer.
“It has been such a privilege to be involved in such a fantastic event and I hope you’ll join me in praying for the success, adventure and determination of everyone taking part.”
The relay starts on 17 July 2010 in Italy and will finish in the Isle of Harris mid August.
If you would like to follow the progress of the relay check out their Facebook event page ‘Carrying the cross relay’.
if you would like to apply for 2011/12 Action Teams, click here or e-mail us at actionteams@bmsworldmission.org
12/07/2010
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